with her own body heat, but I spotted the pup poking his head out to watch me.

“So, what brings you out here? I was unaware there were any packs nearby.” The creamy wolf asked in a cheery tone.

“Uh… I’m not from a pack.” I responded, my tongue still feeling thick in my mouth. “If I trespassed, I’m sorry. I came in during the storm and didn’t realize-.”

“Oh, you’re fine. These lands are beyond our borders. The only reason we’re out here is because River is too adventurous for his own good.”

“The pup is named River?” I asked, managing a smile.

“Fitting, right?” She grinned in return. “We called him that originally because of his endless movement as a newborn, but his puppyhood name may become permanent after this. And what is your name?”

“B-Balto.” I answered through gritted teeth. The feeling was just barely starting to return to my limbs, but rather than alleviating the pain, it just intensified it. It felt as though fire was crawling down my legs.

“Keep moving.” She encouraged, nudging me along with her head. “Balto, huh? I’ve never heard of it. What does that mean?”

“I don’t know.” I gasped, stopping as I tripped over my numb paws.

“Sakari.” The gray wolf appeared beside us, her pup walking at her feet. “We should head back. The others will be worried. You,” She looked at me and gave a short nod as if in appreciation- at least that’s what I hoped it was-, “you will come with us.”

She didn’t really state is as a request, but as more of a command, so I wasn’t sure if I had the right to decline. She continued on without waiting for a response anyways.

The white wolf tapped me with her nose. “You heard her, let’s go.”

“But…I-.” I wasn’t sure what the problem was aside from my body being half painfully numb and half feeling like it was being eaten alive by tiny fanged creatures.

“Balto, right? You have no pack. The alpha female just accepted you into ours. I don’t see the conflict here. Besides, you’re shaking so hard, I don’t think you’ll last much longer on your own.”

I couldn’t argue with her there. “Okay…thank you.”

“Of course. We owe you.” She smiled.

I wasn’t traveling very fast as each step felt like millions of barbs piercing my legs, but the cream-colored wolf stayed by my side the whole time, keeping me upright when I stumbled. The gray wolf and her pup weren’t moving quickly either, held back by his tiny legs and the deep snow.

“So,” I started, finally feeling like I could speak normally, “what was your name again?”

“Sakari.” She answered. “I didn’t get to finish my question. Where does your name come from?”

I hesitated, unsure how my human connection would come across to the wolves. “It was given to me.”

“As are all our names.” She teased.

“By humans, I mean.”

Her reaction was completely unexpected. She tilted her head in shock, looked at me and smiled. “Really? So you lived with humans?” She asked excitedly.

“No.” I answered simply, not because I didn’t want to answer, but because the feeling had now traveled down my leg and was just reaching my left front paw, and it didn’t feel good to say the least.

Sakari stopped, and as I was leaning on her, I was forced to stop as well.  She looked down at our tracks and noticed the blood trail I was leaving. “It’s fine.” I said before she could ask. “It’s from a few days ago.”

“And it hadn’t healed?” She asked with a raised eyebrow. “Someone hasn’t been resting much. I assume you’ve come from far away?”

I smirked. “Why should I respond when you seem to already have all the answers?” I teased.

“Alright then. Please correct me if I’m wrong, but putting all of what I see together, you’re running from something.” She caught my eyes and I looked away. “You don’t have to tell, but know that you are welcome with us, Balto, no matter what it is.”

I offered a grateful smile.

A short time later, we came upon what looked like their den site. The gray wolf was already there, watching her pup enthusiastically reuniting with a tawny colored sibling. There were only two other wolves there. One was a lean wolf, so elderly her dark markings had taken on a blue-ish hue. The other was a large gray-brown male with cream markings. He rose from his sitting place to greet us first.

“Sakari, who is this?”

“This is Balto. He rescued River from the…River. Balto, this is my brother, Akiak.”

I stopped leaning on his sister and unsteadily stood as he walked over to meet me. He stood only slightly taller than me at the shoulder, but held his head high as he cautiously sniffed at me. “So what is he doing here?” He asked, addressing his sister instead of me.

“Miki requested it. He did save her son. We should try to repay the favor, don’t you think?” She asked pointedly.

The large wolf crumbled under his sister’s glare. “Sure, why not?” He muttered as he slunk back to his perch on a rock above the den.

“Don’t mind him.” Sakari assured me. “He’s just mad that he got left behind on the hunt. Come on, I want you to meet Michelo.” She took off toward the old wolf who had been watching us, but remained lying on a patch of snow in the sunlight. I slowly followed, now sporting an annoying limp.

“Michelo.” Sakari lowered her head to greet the elderly female. “This is Balto. He saved River.”

Michelo looked up at me with soft gray eyes. “We can never repay your kindness, Atka.”

“Balto.” I corrected, offering a nervous smile.

She just smiled contentedly back at me.

I looked at Sakari anxiously. Something about the old wolf made my insides shift uncomfortably. Being here in a pack of unknown wolves already had me on edge, but this old female just topped it off.

“Come on,” Sakari offered, “You’re still shaking.” She led me over to where another streak of sunlight broke through the trees and landed on a patch of sparkling snow. I happily lay down with my legs under me. My body immediately thanked me for the break and I almost fell asleep right there, forgetting my anxiety almost completely. Before I could, though, I felt Sakari sidle up next to me and lay her head across my back. “Gotta warm you up.” She explained. “Don’t get any ideas.” She added, and I could hear the grin in her voice.

I smiled to myself, reminded of the very same gesture Boris had offered me only a couple of nights before. It was amazing to me that mere hours ago, I had been hopeless, helpless and homeless, and then these wolves had come along and changed it. My heart still ached for home, but this definitely helped to dull the pain. Just before I drifted off into an exhausted sleep, I started to wonder if it was worth it to go back, but immediately dispelled the idea as my dreams filled with images of the two females I had left back in Nome.

<><><><>

A/N: Please leave a comment!